For Immediate Release

THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
OF AMERICA'S #1 COMEDY SERIES

FRIENDS

Thrilling Fans On DVD And VHS April 30
Includes Never-Before-Seen Footage in Each Episode

BURBANK, CA. (February 13, 2002) -- More than 36 million viewers can't be wrong, so Warner Home Video (WHV) is satisfying fans by releasing the complete first season of the comedy series, Friends, on VHS and DVD April 30. Responding to an unprecedented public demand, all 24 episodes -- nearly 10 full hours of programming -- featuring special guest stars George Clooney, Helen Hunt, Noah Wyle, Jon Lovitz, Jill Goodacre and more - will be available in extended versions, including previously unseen footage. Friends: The Complete First Season boxed-set is priced at $49.98 SRP VHS and $69.98 SRP DVD.

With fans already celebrating the news that Friends will return in September for its ninth and final season, the release of Friends: The Complete First Season caps a remarkable year for this popular show. In fact, The New York Times recently praised the Friends series as "a model for how to stay fresh by shaking up its characters' lives."

With ratings up more than 18% from last year, the Emmy-winning Friends - starring Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Courtney Cox-Arquette (Monica), Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), David Schwimmer (Ross), Matthew Perry (Chandler) and Matt LeBlanc (Joey) - was honored with this year's People Choice Awards for Favorite Television Comedy Series and Favorite Female Television Performer (Jennifer Aniston). Friends was nominated for Golden Globe awards for Best Television Comedy and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Aniston) and for SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series (Jennifer Aniston) and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

The Friends cast issued the following statement regarding their decision to do one more season: "We are enormously pleased and excited to be returning for a ninth season. We could not ignore the outpouring of public support for the show and we are looking forward to creating one more season with the best writers, producers, directors and production people in television."

The DVD version of Friends: The Complete First Season is loaded with special features, including an insightful commentary for the pilot episode with executive producers Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane; A Peek At Central Perk, which takes viewers on an interactive tour of the set to discover inside secrets from the crew; Friends Of Friends, a video guide to season one's special guest appearances; How Well Do You Know Your Friends? video trivia challenge; The One With The Trailer Of Season 2 and cast profiles.

EPISODE SYNOPSIS

1. The One Where It All Began: Monica's old high school friend, Rachel, decides to move in with her after leaving her fiancé at the altar. Meanwhile, Ross takes an apartment in Monica's building to be closer to his friends, Chandler and Joey.
   
2. The One With The Sonogram At The End: Ross' ex-wife Carol tells him that she and her lover, Susan, plan to raise their baby together, but that he is invited to the sonogram. Meanwhile Monica prepares for dinner with her parents.
   
3. The One With The Thumb: Phoebe's bank mistakenly credits her account, but her attempts to fix the situation only bring her more money, as well as a soda with a thumb floating in it. Meanwhile, Chandler teaches Joey how to smoke.
   
4. The One With George Stephanopoulos: Joey and Chandler invite Ross to a hockey game for his birthday, but his nose gets broken by a flying puck and the guys spend the night in the hospital. Meanwhile, the girls discuss life and guys.
   
5. The One With The East German Laundry Detergent: Monica and Joey try to break up Joey's ex-girlfriend Angela's current relationship, Chandler and Phoebe try to break up with their dates and Ross teaches Rachel how do to laundry.
   
6. The One With The Butt: Chandler starts dating a beautiful woman, who is not only married, but also has another boyfriend, a situation which isn't as fun as he expects it to be. Meanwhile, Joey is cast in a movie, as Al Pacino's "butt double."
   
7. The One With The Blackout: During a blackout in New York City, Chandler is locked in an ATM with beautiful supermodel Jill Goodacre. Meanwhile, the gang converges on Monica's apartment to tell scary stories and talk about sex.
   
8. The One Where Nana Dies Twice: Ross and Monica help their parents (Elliott Gould and Christina Pickles) with their grandmother's funeral arrangements. Meanwhile, a co-worker makes Chandler question his sexual orientation.
   
9. The One Where Underdog Gets Away: Everyone's plans for Thanksgiving fall through one-by-one, culminated by the Underdog balloon escaping from the Macy's Parade. Meanwhile, Ross petitions Carol for "belly time" so he can bond.
   
10. The One With The Monkey: Ross gets a pet monkey with which he experiences the typical struggles of a new relationship. Meanwhile, the gang throws a "dateless" New Year's Eve party, but end up bringing dates anyway.
    
11. The One With Mrs. Bing: Monica and Phoebe cause a guy to have an accident and begin a "relationship" with him while he's in a coma. Meanwhile, Chandler's famous trash-novelist mom (Morgan Fairchild) comes for a visit.
    
12. The One With The Dozen Lasagnas: Rachel's boyfriend Paolo comes on to Phoebe while she is giving him a massage, prompting Rachel to swear off all men, including Ross. Meanwhile, Monica has made all these lasagnas...
    
13. The One With The Boobies: Chandler accidentally sees Rachel's "boobies" and she decides to get even by seeing his "thing." Meanwhile, Joey finds out his dad has been having an affair and Phoebe's shrink boyfriend drives everyone nuts.
    
14. The One With The Candy Hearts: Joey and Chandler go on a double date, but to Chandler's horror, his date is his ex-girlfriend Janice. Meanwhile, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe have a "bad boyfriend cleansing ritual" which gets out of hand.
    
15. The One With The Stoned Guy: One of Phoebe's clients (Jon Lovitz) auditions Monica for the new restaurant he wants to open, but shows up at her home stoned and is more interested in munchies than her gourmet appetizers.
    
16. The One With Two Parts, Part 1: Chandler and Joey meet Phoebe's twin sister, Ursula. Meanwhile Ross, Carol and Susan begin Lamaze classes and Rachel falls off the roof. Helen Hunt and Leila Kenzle make guest appearances.
    
17. The One With Two Parts, Part 2: After her accident, Monica takes Rachel to the hospital where they make a double date with two cute doctors (George Clooney and Noah Wyle). Meanwhile, Phoebe has a confrontation with Ursula.
    
18. The One With All The Poker: The girls convince the guys to teach them poker, but wind up losing big-time. They demand a re-match, but lose that as well. Meanwhile, Rachel is interviewed for her "dream job" as a buyer at Saks.
    
19. The One Where The Monkey Gets Away: Rachel loses Ross' pet monkey and the gang go on an all-out search, but a run in with a woman she snubbed in high school, now working for Animal Control, turns the search into a fiasco.
    
20. The One With The Evil Orthodontist: Rachel's visit to her ex-fiancé Barry leads to sex, and winds up breaking up his impending wedding with her ex-maid-of-honor, Mindy. Meanwhile, Chandler has problems after a great first date.
    
21. The One With Fake Monica: Monica finds the woman who has stolen her credit card number and winds up befriending her, because she loves her zest for life. Meanwhile Ross has monkey problems and Joey searches for a stage name.
    
22. The One With The Ick Factor: Monica gets involved with a guy she thinks is a college senior, only to find out he's a senior in high school. Meanwhile, Phoebe fills in as Chandler's assistant and finds out that none of his co-workers like him.
    
23. The One With The Birth: Carol is in labor, but the childish competition between Ross and Susan forces her to throw them out. When they get locked in a janitor's closet with Phoebe, they fear they may miss the birth of their child.
    
24. The One Where Rachel Finds Out: While Ross is away in China, Joey lets it slip that he is in love with Rachel, prompting her to re-evaluate how she feels, but when she goes to the airport to tell him, she is greeted with a surprise.

With operations in 78 international territories - more than the video division of any other studio - Warner Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. WHV's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Home Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

End Of Release